Plymouth Argyle: Wayne Rooney avoids further Leeds United embarrassment v Portsmouth | OneFootball

The Greens bounced back from defeat at Elland Road with a 1-0 win over Pompey at Home Park

Plymouth Argyle secured a first league victory in five matches on Tuesday night, as Michael Obafemi’s strike secured a 1-0 win over Portsmouth at Home Park.

Wayne Rooney made five changes to his side from the 3-0 defeat to Leeds United at the weekend, where his side failed to muster a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes against Daniel Farke’s side.

It was something of a gamble for the Argyle boss to rest a number of key players for the trip to Elland Road on Saturday, and the performance proved as much, with the Devon outfit rarely getting out of their own half against the promotion-chasers.

A rejuvenated side made amends in midweek though, with Obafemi’s strike sparing any blushes should the Pilgrims have dropped points following the weekend’s capitulation.

Leeds United performance left Wayne Rooney and Plymouth Argyle with a point to prove

With a number of key players dropping to the bench for the trip to Yorkshire, Argyle were already starting Saturday’s affair sat between the cushion and the eight-ball, and the 90 minutes on the pitch reflected as much.

With Ibrahim Cissoko missing out through suspension, Darko Gyabi unable to play against his parent club, and the likes of Morgan Whittaker and Rami Al Hajj dropping to the bench, it was very much a second-string side that took to the pitch against Leeds, and they were made to pay the price in the most fruitless of fashions.

With the hosts dominating the ball throughout, Argyle very rarely made forays forward, and failed to register a single shot in the match; just the second time that feat has ever been achieved in the second tier, after Millwall did similar in a trip to Blackburn Rovers in March 2022.

While Ryan Hardie was left chasing shadows up top, a patchwork quilt of an Argyle side were incoherent in their time with the ball, with the likes of Nathanael Ogbeta, Julio Pleguezuelo, Victor Palsson and Caleb Roberts all getting rare run-outs at the home of last season’s play-off finalists.

Whether the Argyle boss was proving a point after the poor showing in the 3-3 draw with Preston North End in the match previous, or keeping his players fit for Portsmouth on Tuesday night as he indicated, a showing as one-sided as the one at Elland Road would have looked more at place in the FA Cup first round, which was taking place up and down the country at the same time.

Portsmouth victory spares Wayne Rooney’s blushes after Leeds United performance

With the minutes ticking down at Home Park on Tuesday night, it looked as if Rooney and Argyle would be facing the brunt of another toothless display up top, before Obafemi produced something out of nothing to secure all three points.

With Whittaker [pictured], Al Hajj and Gyabi restored to the starting lineup, as well as a first start in green for Andre Gray up top, the Pilgrims boss will have hoped his side would have been much fresher than their opponents, who made just one change from their weekend draw at Hull City.

But it was Pompey who made a lot of the early running, with a first-minute goal ruled out for offside, before Matt Ritchie had a header saved by Daniel Grimshaw.

Chances for both sides were few and far between, with Jordan Houghton going closest for the hosts, as his shot was kept out by a top save from Nicolas Schmid in the visitors’ goal.

With the encounter already having the feeling of a relegation six-pointer at this early stage the season, it was always going to boil down to one big moment, and Obafemi provided that with just eight minutes left on the clock.

Having been well-pressed in the early stages, Rooney changed tact and went more direct in the second-half, and that produced the goods late on, as Portsmouth failed to deal with a long ball, with Obafemi outmuscling Regan Poole as the two challenged for the ball.

With the defender on the floor, the former Southampton man made no mistake in sizzling in a strike to settle the game, and give his side the perfect reaction to Saturday’s outing.

For Rooney, it was all part of the plan all along, with the Argyle boss more than happy to keep his side fresh for an encounter against a relegation rival, rather than the trip to Yorkshire just days before.

He told Plymouth Live post-match: "Portsmouth are an aggressive team. They go man for man and try to make it difficult for you. There was little things throughout the game which make a big difference.

"It was a very difficult task for Andre [Gray]. He's battling with the centre-backs but I think Portsmouth fatigued towards the end. They only made the one change (from the 1-1 draw away to Hull City on Saturday). The decision on my starting line-up against Leeds only pays off if you win the next game, so I think it was the right decision I made."

Much will be made of Saturday’s efforts in Yorkshire, but Argyle have reacted in the perfect manner, and have the chance to improve on their away record at Derby County this weekend.

With just one point from seven league matches away from home this season, Rooney is well aware of the need to pick up points on their travels, and having got another priceless win at the Theatre of Greens, spirits will be much higher heading into the weekend.

The trip to Pride Park gives the Greens a great opportunity to put the nadir that was Elland Road behind them as quickly as possible, and head into the international break with their heads held high.